States can't conduct entrance exams for medical colleges, admission through NEET only, says Supreme Court

The SC rejected the contentions of the state governments, private medical colleges and also the minority institutions like Christian Medical College Vellore and Ludhiana that they have the legislative competence to hold separate entrance tests.

New Delhi: In a major decision with regard to National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET), the Supreme Court on Monday said that the candidates who could not appear in NEET 1 would be allowed to appear in NEET 2.

The apex court put to rest all confusion by refusing to modify its April 28 order by which it had allowed Centre and CBSE to conduct a single common entrance test for admission to MBBS and BDS courses through National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET).

The top court had approved the schedule put before it by the Centre, CBSE and Medical Medical Council of India (MCI) for treating All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) fixed for May 1 as NEET-1. Those who have not applied for AIPMT will be given opportunity to appear in NEET-II on July 24 and the combined result would be declared on August 17 so that the admission process can be completed by September 30.

Around 6.5 lakh students took up the NEET-I test held on May 1.

Highlights of the SC's ruling of NEET: 

1. All candidates who could not appear in NEET 1 would be allowed to appear in NEET 2

2. Those who appeared in NEET 1 but have apprehension that they had not prepared well, be permitted to appear in NEET 2 if they give up their candidature for NEET 1.

3. Common all India test can't be held bad only because it affects the rights of states & pvt colleges. States can't conduct their own exams since Centre's regulation on NEET overrides states' law on separate exams.

4. States can't conduct their own exams since Centre's regulation on NEET overrides states' law on separate exams.

5. SC says NEET doesn't affect rights of minority nor does it impact provisions for reservation.

The apex court rejected the contentions of the state governments, private medical colleges and also the minority institutions like Christian Medical College Vellore and Ludhiana that they have the legislative competence to hold separate entrance tests.

"Prima facie, we do not find any infirmity in the NEET regulation on the ground that it affects the rights of the states or the private institutions. Special provisions for reservation of any category are not subject matter of the NEET nor rights of minority are in any manner affected by NEET.

"NEET only provides for conducting entrance test for eligibility for admission to the MBBS/BDS course. We thus, do not find any merit in the applications seeking modification of order dated April 28, 2016," a bench comprising justices A R Dave, Shiva Kirti Singh and Adarsh Kumar Goel, said.

The apex court also made it clear that "the students who have either applied for NEET-I but could not appear or who appeared but could not prepare fully thinking that the preparation was to be only for 15 per cent all India seats and there will be further opportunity to appear in other examinations.

"To allay any such apprehension, we direct that all such eligible candidates who could not appear in NEET-I and those who had appeared but have apprehension that they had not prepared well, be permitted to appear in NEET-II, subject to seeking an option from the said candidates to give up their candidature for NEET-I," the bench said.

It also said that it "would be open to the respondents (Centre, CBSE) to reschedule the date of holding NEET-II, if necessary. To this extent the earlier orders stand modified.

"We may also add here that to ensure total credibility of the examination to be held by the CBSE, the Oversight Committee appointed by this court vide the aforesaid judgment dated May 2, 2016 shall also oversee the NEET-II examination to be conducted by the CBSE. In view of the above, it is also clarified that only NEET would enable students to get admission to MBBS or BDS studies," it said.

The apex court in its order today also noted that the stand of the private medical colleges (including minorities) that conducting of entrance test by the state violated right of autonomy of the said colleges, has been rejected.